Growing health concerns following ‘toxic chemicals’ fire in Jacobs
The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance says there is growing concern about what could have been released into the air when a resin factory burnt down this week.
The facility in Jacobs, south of Durban went up in flames on Wednesday morning.
The alliance's Desmond D'sa says people are worried about the impact on their health.
"Huge plumes of toxic chemicals from the resin affected a lot of people and despite our plea to the government to bring in a medical team, nothing has happened. They want to bring a questionnaire. We don't need questionnaires. We need action.
"We needed this government to ensure that people that have been affected with this highly toxic pollution get the necessary health treatment that is required that will deter long term impacts on their health.
"That means you got to do all the testing, you have to appoint all the qualified people who are available to do it, but the government doesn't want to do it."
READ: Durban south community told to close windows, doors after 'toxic' Jacobs fire
The provincial Environmental Affairs Department says a team comprising air quality, pollution and waste management experts, as well as compliance officers, are investigating the cause of the inferno.
It broke out more than a month after a warehouse in Umhlanga, storing pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals, was set alight by looters and burnt for days.
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D'sa says government needs to take both fires seriously and consider the implications on those living in the affected areas.
"I can tell you now given what is happening with UPL we have now received a single document in regard to the air quality data that was sent overseas.
“We haven't seen any of the reports that should be given to us but more critical in this whole issue is that the health and well-being of the people of north of Durban and south of Durban that happened has a huge impact on the respiratory organs."
